FOWLR with Anenome?

[SirToadie]

So I'm about a month away before I add any fish (doing my tank cycle) and in my other tank I have a lot of bubble tips. In the tank I'm just setting up now I wanted other fish so I was going FOWLR.

But I got to thinking... will any of those fish go after anemone? Seems to me like they could co exist?

 

[whosurcaddie]

You'd have to stay away from butterfly fish. That's the only one I can think of that would eat an anemone. There are other fish like the sculpin but you won't find that for sale in the aquarium hobby.

Other things like certain snails, sea stars and shrimp will eat them but these are already pest species that are considered harmful and wouldn't be for sale.

 

[heathlindner25]

Your tank will become a reef tank once you add one invertebrate. It will no longer be a FOWLR.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Your tank will become a reef tank once you add one invertebrate. It will no longer be a FOWLR.

Maybe that's true, but it's a pretty fine line of distinction (one anemone), and it's just a name! :love1:

OP, your fish will leave the anemone alone. Just be carefure which fish you put in. I have about 10 anemones in my reef with a dozen fish, no issues.

Enjoy your new reef... I mean FOWLR... I mean reef tank.:lol2:

 

[heathlindner25]

I meant you now test it as it was a reef,and your salinity will be at nsw.

 

[Ron Reefman]

I meant you now test it as it was a reef,and your salinity will be at nsw.

Thanks for the clarification. I've never done a FOWLR that I didn't keep at 1.026 SG anyway.

 

[heathlindner25]

Thanks for the clarification. I've never done a FOWLR that I didn't keep at 1.026 SG anyway.

A lot of people keep it lower in those systems.

 

[SirToadie]

Maybe that's true, but it's a pretty fine line of distinction (one anemone), and it's just a name! :love1:

OP, your fish will leave the anemone alone. Just be carefure which fish you put in. I have about 10 anemones in my reef with a dozen fish, no issues.

Enjoy your new reef... I mean FOWLR... I mean reef tank.:lol2:

Perfect, thank you. Maybe it's a FOANLR tank?

 

[SirToadie]

I meant you now test it as it was a reef,and your salinity will be at nsw.

I had always heard 1.026 was the line to stay at so this is my initial cycle and it's what I started at. I can always dial it down a bit. First time trying this so I'm open

 

[SirToadie]

Here's an odd question... if I'm cycling my tank (at two weeks) could I add the anemone's first without worrying about ammonia spikes and bacteria?

 

[heathlindner25]

Here's an odd question... if I'm cycling my tank (at two weeks) could I add the anemone's first without worrying about ammonia spikes and bacteria?

They want a stable tank so I would say no. Get over your learning curve on keeping alkalinity and such stable first

 

[SirToadie]

Makes sense, good advice

 

[heathlindner25]

Makes sense, good advice

:twitch:

 

[Ron Reefman]

Here's an odd question... if I'm cycling my tank (at two weeks) could I add the anemone's first without worrying about ammonia spikes and bacteria?

The anemone is less tolerant of the start up issues and even after the cycle you'll have algae and bacteria blooms every so often (normal) until your tank matures (6 months minimum). Adding the anemone before that isn't a good idea. I'd add some clean up crew (not too many) then fish (slowly... 1 or 2 at a time) and the corals and then more delicate animals like anemones, feather dusters and clams.